New historical signs known as wayside exhibits are being installed this week at various spots around Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam to provide more information to inquiring visitors about historically significant sites on base.

The project took off after several years of planning by Navy Region Hawaii, Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC), and Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam.

“The idea is that when you see the wayside exhibits, it puts history in context. There’s nothing like a photograph to give one a better description of what they are looking at,” said Navy Region Hawaii Historian Jim Neuman.

There will be a total of 12 exhibits, to include locations around the former Pearl Harbor Submarine base: Lockwood Hall, the Submarine Base Chapel, Sharkey Theatre and the USS Parche Submarine Memorial Park.

Some of the exhibits include multiple signs that provide photos, historical facts and personnel profiles.

“It’s great! I think visitors will appreciate it. It shows that we understand that we have history, that we care about our history, and that we want to preserve that history,” added Neuman.

Neuman went on to say that the signs are synchronized with the National Park Service in design so visitors can see a more uniform presentation of information throughout the Pearl Harbor area.

“It’s definitely very informative when we do work like this. We learn what these various ship and submarine parts are doing here. With the pictures, it will help people understand why they put this here, why the propeller is over there, and what the memorial is all about,” said Builder 2nd Class Reynaldo Castro of the NAVFAC Self Help Seabees.